Hip guy vs. square guy

The choice for Governor of Colorado is showhorse vs. workhorse, hip guy vs. square guy, says John Andrews in the April round of Head On TV debates. And he notes that Scott McInnis, the square Republican, leads cool Democrat John Hickenlooper in the polls. But Susan Barnes-Gelt scoffs that McInnis has a mistaken-prone style as well as baggage on his resume. John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over Obama's nuclear policy, the Catholic sex scandals, the financial reform bill, and Tea Party influence in Colorado's US Senate race. Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. Here are all five scripts for April: 1. HIP vs. SQUARE IN GOVERNOR’S RACE

Susan: Scott McInnis's refusal to release his tax returns is big blunder. What does he have to hide from Colorado voters in November's gubernatorial election? Hickenlooper is a rich guy and not afraid to release his financial records. McInnis is not the kind of leader Coloradans can trust.

John: The choice for governor is between a Democratic showhorse and a Republican workhorse. The financial strip search is an irrelevant media stunt. Colorado is hurting. We need jobs and economic growth. Gov. Ritter and Mayor Hickenlooper have flunked that test. Scott McInnis will get government out of the way. That’s why he’s leading.

Susan: Other than employing his wife as part of a defunct congressional campaign, just how many jobs has McInnis created? Perhaps a few to make the signs when he named 123,400 acres in Mesa County the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area. He is a career politician - period, the end.

John: After just three years, Bill Ritter was thrown by the bucking horse that is Colorado’s governorship. Who will voters put in the saddle next? The hip candidate is Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former brewmeister from Lodo. The square candidate is Republican Scott McInnis, a former cop from Glenwood. Polling favors McInnis.

2. OBAMA’S NUCLEAR POLICY

In refusing to use nuclear weapons to defend our country against chemical and biological attacks, President Obama endangers all Americans and invites our enemies to do their worst. We’ve never had a president so committed to deliberate weakness in defending the United States of America. FDR and JFK would be horrified.

Susan: Puh -leese John - The biggest risk to our security is stateless terrorism and cyber war. Nuclear arsenals were an issue 60 years ago and certainly served as deterrents. In today's world, nuclear disarmament among legitimate governments makes sense. FDR & JFK would be proud.

John: Disarmament has never worked and never will. Presidents of both parties understood that overwhelming military strength is the best way to prevent and win wars, until the time of Jimmy Carter, Mr. Weakness. Now we have Mr. Apology, Barack Obama, taking weakness even further. God help this country.

Susan: The new policy is both revocable and subject to review and modification if circumstances warrant. The recent summit of 47 nations to deal with nuclear risks advanced global cooperation. Any nation that attacks us with biological or chemical weapons can count on a rendezvous with their stone-age ancestors.

3. CATHOLIC SEX SCANDALS

John: Sexual molestation of a child by an adult cannot be tolerated by any organization under any circumstances. School systems, youth agencies, and religious institutions have all fallen short of this standard. The Catholic Church, to name one, has been far too lax in the past. But since the 1980s it has improved vastly.

Susan: The Catholic Church has been lax in coming to grips with sexual abuse of a child by an adult - throughout its history. For the Pope to believe that acknowledging the "church has been wounded by its sins" is an insult. The church is facing its biggest institutional crisis in centuries.

John: Anti-religious critics apply a dishonest double standard in their eagerness to discredit Christianity. Here in Denver the Catholic archbishop instantly suspended an accused priest, at the same time teacher unions were stonewalling a policy to notify parents if a public school employee is arrested. What hypocrisy.

Susan: The issue is one of the richest and most powerful world institutions consistently abusing basic principles of trust and then protecting the violators. Because of the worldwide stature and moral authority of the Catholic Church, the crime and hypocrisy rises to a higher level. All politics is NOT local.

4. SENATE PRIMARIES

Susan: The decisions by Dem incumbent senator Michael Bennet and Republican challenger Jane Norton to pursue the signature route to qualify for the August primary reveal the weakness of both with the base of their parties. Neither Norton nor incumbent Bennet appeals to their party's base.

John: On April 15, Tax Day, thousands of us protested at the State Capitol against big oceans of debt engulfing our grandchildren, government out of control. Democrat Senate candidates Bennet and Romanoff don’t get that. A Republican victory for Jane Norton, Ken Buck, or Tom Wiens will depend on capturing that Tea Party spirit.

Susan: The typical tea partier? a well-to-do, educated, older, white male. The movement threatens the Republican Party. Fiscal conservatism is one thing - mean spirited, libertarian populism is another. Want to build your own roads? Deploy your own fire department? Have a tea bag.

John: Susan, Susan, jealousy does not become you. The Tea Party is ordinary Americans pushing back against big government. When liberals tried to start a Coffee Party, it flopped. As far as Colorado’s next senator, it will not be Bennet the empty suit or Romanoff the labor guy. This one’s going Republican.

5. BANKING REFORM

Susan: Watching Mitch McConnell call banking reform a recipe for bailouts, challenges reality. McConnell has raised $2.7 million from Wall Street and his colleagues on the Senate Banking Committee have collectively raised more than $12.5 Million & House R's,, nearly $11 million. Nearly $25 Million - just thru March!

John: The financial crisis of 2008 and the recession since then were mainly caused by government itself, sending false signals to borrowers and lenders until the crash came. The worst culprits were the wildly corrupt Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, which aren’t even addressed in Obama’s financial reform bill. It’s a dud.

Susan: And the tooth fairy left a million bucks under my pillow. Financial deregulation began with Clinton and went on steroids with Bush and resulted in financial meltdown. The antics at Goldman Sachs illustrates that government intervention is essential in the face of unregulated trading favoring rich insiders.

John: The insider money machine better known as Government Sachs gets no sympathy from me. But there’s a bad smell about their cozy relationship with Obama’s campaign fund, Obama’s personal lawyer, Obama’s SEC board, and Sen. Dodd’s legislation. This is a Chicago-style power play that deserves to fail.

Repeal Obamacare

The only sane response to Obamacare is to replace the Congress and repeal the bill, says John Andrews in the March round of Head On TV debates. But Susan Barnes-Gelt lauds the new law as a medical, social, and economic boon. John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over Israel, teacher unions, and the Colorado contests for governor and senator. Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. Here are all five scripts for March: 1. OBAMACARE BECOMES LAW

Susan: Health care reform means people can change jobs and start new businesses without losing their health insurance if they have pre-existing conditions. Insurance companies won't be able to cap coverage or discriminate. 30 million previously uninsured will be covered. It's great for Americans and the economy.

John: Great for the economy? Like a noose is great for your neck. Obamacare means a government takeover of one-sixth of everything this country produces. Medical costs will rise and quality will decline. Americans know that, which is why polling on this corrupt and dishonest bill has been so negative.

Susan: The healthcare bill is more about insurance reform than healthcare reform and private insurance companies will control the market - not the government. Universal access to quality care will emphasize prevention, improve productivity and relieve local and state taxpayers of the huge burden of uncompensated, emergency room care.

John: Obamacare tramples freedom and shreds the constitution by forcing individuals to buy something against their will. Obamacare worsens the deficit, raises taxes, puts insurance companies under government control, pushes doctors out their profession, and degrades the entire health system. We should replace the Congress and repeal the bill.

2. GOVERNOR’S RACE

John: Colorado has not been well governed under Bill Ritter, and voters know it. That’s why he’s not running again. Ritter and the Democrats let spending and taxes get badly out of balance. They brutalized an important industry, oil and gas. Fellow Democrat John Hickenlooper admits it. Republican Scott McInnis is a better bet.

Susan: McInnis better have a more compelling message than tax and spend to beat Hickenlooper. Coloradans want a problem solver, not a grenade lobber. Legislative antics on both sides are reaching new lows. Hick has the smarts and the disposition to bring people together.

John: After taking the governor’s office with Colorado in good shape, Democrats failed to keep it that way. Ritter increased spending even as revenues were falling. He became anti-business just when jobs were needed. He handed over state workers to the unions. To fix it we need a Republican, not another Democrat.

Susan: We've learned from partisan antics in Congress Colorado's bickering legislature that partisan incivility doesn't solve problems. Hickenlooper is a businessman, social moderate, fiscal conservative. His experience, finding common ground and working with diverse interests on multiple issues is what Colorado needs.

3. U.S. ANGRY WITH ISRAEL

John: America’s most important ally in the Middle East is Israel. It has an exemplary democracy, a dynamic free economy, and it’s the cradle of our Judeo-Christian heritage. It has shown heroic fortitude and amazing restraint against 60 years of unrelenting Muslim efforts to destroy it. Obama’s hostility to Israel is totally wrong.

Susan: Israel violated a 10-month moratorium and slapped the US by announcing West Bank settlements the day V.P. Biden arrived in Israel. Suggesting East Jerusalem isn't part of the west bank is nonsense and if Netanyahu wants peace he'd better start exercising better judgment.

John: Obama and Biden and Hillary Clinton are all dangerously confused about how to protect America’s national interest in the boiling cauldron of Islamic hatred and violence that is the Middle East. It starts with standing strong for Israel, our brave democratic ally, and against Iran, the looming nuclear menace.

Susan: Netanyahu leads a fragile coalition government - if he loses the support of the super-conservatives, he loses his government. A two state solution is the only answer for lasting mideast peace. Confusing that with standing firm against the Iranian nuclear threat, is simplistic. Clinton made that clear in her remarks.

4. EDUCATION ON WRONG TRACK

John: The US Education Secretary flew in the other day. He was here to take sides in the Democratic Senate primary and to dangle $400 million in front of lawmakers to change the way Colorado educates its kids. That’s what government schools have come to – arm-twisting from Obama and borrowed money from China.

Susan: Investing my federal tax dollars in Colorado's k-12 school is a great idea. Public education in this state reached a new low with the peevish fighting among Denver school board members and the watered down plan submitted to the feds for Race to the Top dollars.

John: The root of the problem is teacher unions. Government schools in our state and across the country are run more for the benefit of their employees than for students in the classroom. Unions dominate the school boards, the Ritter administration, the legislature, and the Congress. It’s a scandal.

Susan: The issue is accountability. It's too easy to blame unions for inexperienced school boards, entrenched administrative bureaucracies, disengaged parents, obsolete schools and equipment and poorly trained teachers. Obama's race to the top program is a good start at rewarding practices that work and bringing them to scale.

5. SENATE PRIMARIES

Susan: The caucuses reflected badly on frontrunners Bennet and Norton, though you could hardly say the 2-percent turnout was representative. Republican activists are far more conservative than mainstream R's and will never field a candidate acceptable to Colorado moderates. And voters don't have a clue about Senator Bennet.

John: Both parties often have a different favorite at the spring caucus from the big vote-getter who wins the summer primary. In 2004 it was Republican Bob Schaffer and Democrat Mike Miles, only to be overtaken in August by Pete Coors and eventual winner Ken Salazar. In 2010 I foresee a GOP Senate winner.

Susan: It's a throw the rascals out year - incumbents across the country are at risk. Bennet is further disadvantaged - he's an incumbent without a base. Romanoff is the stronger Democrat. Norton is burdened by weak party infrastructure in the State and her both sides of every issue track record.

John: Michael Bennet has been an embarrassment in the Senate. He voted for all those corrupt health care deals. Andrew Romanoff is part owner of the Bill Ritter budget mess. Republicans have tax-fighter Tom Wiens, crime-fighter Ken Buck, and popular conservative Jane Norton. She may become Colorado’s first woman senator.

Tax hikes slam Colo. economy

It's folly for Colorado Democrats to raise taxes and then hope for job creation, says John Andrews in the February round of Head On TV debates. But Susan Barnes-Gelt chalks up the state's budget problems to TABOR and other constitutional provisions. John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over the ongoing national recession, Congress, Sen. Michael Bennet, and former Vice President Dick Cheney. Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. Here are all five scripts for February: 1. TAX HIKES SLAM COLO. ECONOMY

John: You knew the Democrats were in for a tough year when Speaker Pro Tem Kathleen Curry quit the party. Then Gov. Ritter stood down. Someone tell this liberal legislature you don’t raise taxes on employers and then hope for job creation. Colorado can’t afford these dirty dozen Democratic tax bills.

Susan: Sound bites aside, Colorado's budget problems echo California's - TABOR, Gallagher, Amendment 23 plus unfunded federal mandates result in gridlock - Social programs, k-12 and higher ed are being cut to the bone. Tax exemptions are next in line. High unemployment, record foreclosures and no job creation strategies add to the mess.

John: “TABOR, Gallagher, 23.” That’s the emptiest sound bite. Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights with its fiscal guardrails has kept Colorado from becoming California. Our deficit comes from reckless spending by Democrats after TABOR was suspended in 2005. The solution for recovery is to vote for McInnis and Republicans in 2010.

Susan: It doesn't really matter who you vote for in 2010 - Colorado's budget is hamstrung regardless of who is in charge. And the folks who brought you this mess, will give you more of the same. In 2010, throw the rascals out! Vote Hickenlooper!

2. CHENEY AND BIDEN SPAR

Susan: Dick Cheney is the gift that keeps on giving. His command of the Republican stage is great for the Democrats. Even Republican secretary of state Colin Powell disputes his views. Vice President Biden was right when he said it's fine to have your own opinion, but not your own facts.

John: Here’s a fact for you. Muslim terrorist activity on American soil has increased dramatically in the past year since Biden and Obama replaced Cheney and Bush. We are less safe today, and Americans know it. We’re fortunate to have a former vice president with the courage and patriotism to say so.

Susan: Random terrorism has been on the increase since 9/11 - Tied together by the internet and anger, non-state players are multiplying. Cheney's inflammatory rhetoric aids and comforts the enemy. He ought to be tried for treason.

John: You liberals need new talking points. Instead of bashing a hero from the last administration, how about explaining the failures of this administration? Close Guantanamo? Oops, can’t do that. Try the 9/11 mastermind in New York? Can’t do that. Interrogate the Christmas bomber? Can’t do that. Bring back Dick Cheney!

3. SENATE RACE INTENSIFIES

John: What a pathetic sight to see Sen. Michael Bennet and President Obama, both down in the polls, out campaigning together. Republican challenger Jane Norton nailed Obama in a TV ad. Fellow Democrat Andrew Romanoff is polling better than Bennet and might become the nominee. The spirit of Scott Brown stalks Colorado.

Susan: Republican Jane Norton, an avid McCain supporter, is now courting tea partiers. That may work for her in a primary but the bulk of Colorado's voters are centrist independents and her calls to take the country back to separate but equal and kill the Department of Education won't fly.

John: You're half right, Susan. That political arithmetic will help any GOP candidate in the primary and the general election both. Moderate McCain voters, plus Tea Party conservatives, plus all the independents who no longer support Obama, add up to a Republican Senate victory this fall, no matter who we nominate.

Jane Norton may appeal to the far right, but Colorado is fundamentally moderate. She might Michael Bennet - an incumbent with not base. But if - as I predict - Andrew Romanoff if the Dem nominee, pass the marmelade - she's toast.

4. DC GRIDLOCK

Susan: D's and R's in Washington have contributed equally to gridlock. The country is in dire straits and partisan polarization may be filling campaign coffers but is turning off voters left right and center. Every incumbent is in trouble.

John: You get the Oscar for wishful thinking. Incumbent Republicans are looking to take Congress and pick up governorships. Incumbent Democrats are either running as underdogs like Harry Reid or quitting like Evan Bayh. Washington paralysis isn’t my party’s fault. We’re out of power – but that may soon change.

Susan: Check out G O O O H.com - Get Out of Our House.com - Founder Tim Cox is on to something, advocating replacing every Congressperson with a citizen legislator. The movement will catch on as his message goes national. Incumbents - be ware!

John: Another day, another website, yawn. Congress won’t be fired en masse according to Tim Cox’s daydreams. America has a governing party, the Democrats, and an opposition party, the Republicans. Your guys have failed big time. My guys aren’t perfect either, but this may be their year.

5. WEAK ECONOMY CONTINUES

Susan: Wall Street may be recovering but Main Street isn't. A lack of direction at the federal, state and local levels is at the root of America's discontent. The failure of political and civic leaders to communicate effectively and work together to solve problems is the most disturbing aspect of today's turmoil.

John: Obama took office hoping to emulate FDR, and in one way he has. Democrats today, just like in the 1930s, have made a bad economic situation much worse. Obama’s fiscal and regulatory power grab has frightened business away from the hiring and investment decisions that would restore prosperity.

Susan: In times like these, the government is the spender of last resort. Our infrastructure is failing, the US lags in technology, high speed rail, transit and education. Without jobs & innovation, this recession will morph to depression and deficits will grow bigger. The US must be bold.

John: Jobs and innovation, yes. Collectivist bureaucratic central planning, no. Less government and more free enterprise, not vice versa, is the only cure for America’s economic woes. As for last-resort government spending with money borrowed overseas, we need less of that too. Prosperity will return when the politicians butt out.

What Brown can do for you

Massachusetts voters sent Democrats a severe warning with Scott Brown's win for US Senator, says John Andrews in the January round of Head On TV debates. But Susan Barnes-Gelt chalks up the outcome to a poor campaign on the other side and generalized disgust with the in-crowd. John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over Hickenlooper for Governor, Obama's first year, Denver's next mayor, and Haiti relief. Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. Here are all five scripts for January: 1. MASSACHUSETTS SHOOK UP 2010 POLITICS

John: Massachusetts voters sent a powerful message of discontent to Obama, Pelosi, and Reid by electing Republican Scott Brown to the Senate seat long held by liberal lion Ted Kennedy. Unemployment, terrorism, and the unpopular health care takeover add up to a bad political year for Democrats, Susan.

Susan: Martha Coakley made every mistake a candidate can make. She took a month off, refused to press the flesh and ran as an entitled incumbent. D's and R's can learn from her mistakes. Incumbents and uber-partisans are in trouble on both sides of the aisle.

John: You must be looking at different polls than the ones I see. Republicans are rebounding. Democrats are the ones in trouble, likely to lose big next fall in races for Senate, House, and Governor, Colorado possibly included. Radical overreach by Obama and his party has Americans massively turned off.

Susan: Government has Americans massively turned off. Scott Brown never called himself an R nor called in the big dogs to endorse him. Voters are angry at the status quo in Washington, joblessness, Wall Street and leadership's tin ear. The 2010's - the decade of the independent.

2. GOVERNOR’S RACE

John: The so-called Colorado Promise, on which Democrats won the governorship, is gone as Bill Ritter makes an early exit. The budget, the economy, the energy market, and the labor climate are all in disarray. That puts two strikes against Democrat John Hickenlooper, and makes Republican Scott McInnis the clear favorite for governor.

Susan: Your list puts two strikes against the next governor of Colorado - regardless of who wins. The real question is "Who has a record of facing budget deficits, reforming bureaucracy and making strategic investments in job creation?” John Hickenlooper - a person who's actually governed.

John: John Hickenlooper is even more liberal than Diana DiGette, according to the congresswoman herself. McInnis is a sensible centrist. The Mayor is Mr. Denver, the opposite of home on the range. McInnis is pure Colorado. And he was balancing budgets when Hick was still selling microbrew. Advantage Scott.

Susan: You're whistling in the dark and the tune has been out of date for a decade. Hickenlooper is the poster boy for non-partisan, problem-solving centrist. His base includes pragmatists independents and business. And he didn't have to shave a mustache to be credible to the voters!

3. DENVER’S NEXT MAYOR

John: Susan, you’re the Denver political insider. I’m just a suburban spectator. But it seems to me the Hickenlooper era in Denver is over one way or the other. If hizonner doesn’t win governor this year, he’s damaged goods for a third term as mayor next year. What’s the early betting for 2011?

Susan: Too many chips on the table to place an early bet. However - the qualities the next mayor will need are clear: management experience, political moderation, an ability to get along with diverse interests, a strong backbone and a clear vision of the region's future.

John: Thanks for mentioning my imaginary hometown, Backbone. People up there, unlike the pansy progressives who fear competition, elect their mayor in a fair fight between Democrats and Republicans. Maybe Denver will do the same in 2011, and turn to a proven Republican leader like Joe Blake or Dan Ritchie.

Susan: You're spending too much time in the thin air of Backbone! The old boys club ceased running Denver in 1983- when Peña was elected. Denver's next mayor will be energetic, innovative and savvy. The next year will be a wild ride - and I don't mean the stock show!

4. HORROR IN HAITI

Susan: The Haitian tragedy has ignited humanity’s finest instincts. Young people donating $10 via cell phones have generated more than $7 million in relief funds. Presidents Bush and Clinton together will ensure the long hard work of relief and rebuilding proceeds. Only the sub-human - Rush & Robertson demur.

John: The heartbreaking images out of Haiti remind us that life is harsh, mankind is all one family, and our simplest blessings cannot be taken for granted. The rescue response was warmly humanitarian, as you say. But it was also uniquely American, combining the very best of our country’s generosity, affluence, and military might.

Susan: You are right John. But the real test will come in time. Do the good people of this nation and others have the patience and resources to rescue a failed nation? How and who will build the civic, political and physical infrastructure necessary to truly save Haiti?

John: Nation-building is a noble dream, but nearly impossible in practice, as America has learned. Every nation, including shattered Haiti, must find its own way forward. We can still do our part individually, though. I’m going straight from the studio to Salvation Army online and donate again.

5. OBAMA’S FIRST YEAR

Susan: Obama promised change. And change unsettles. Overhauling health care, addressing financial collapse, sending troops to war, trying terrorists, epic unemployment. In 1982 pundits predicted Reagan wouldn't run for a second term, his early numbers were so bad. First terms aren't to be measured in 365 days.

John: Obama also promised hope. Twelve months ago even many of us who voted against him were willing to hope this gifted man would lead America wisely. But so far he has failed. Our enemies in Iran and Al Qaeda perceive us as weak. But business is afraid of Obama, worsening the recession. Bad show, Mr. President.

Susan: And business - banks, insurance companies, industry - have certainly demonstrated good judgment and wisdom in their collective decision-making. And the Republican alternative? Glen Beck and the tea bags? Sarah- don't confuse me with information -Palin? The only poll that counts is November 6, 2012.

John: Changing the subject doesn’t change the facts. Obama’s public support has fallen farther, faster, than any first-year president in history. Americans, including many of his previous supporters, are beginning to realize he’s in over his head. We can’t afford a failed presidency. Pull it together, Barack.

2009 laurels, 2010 visions

Sarah Palin's return gets a 2009 prize from John Andrews in the December round of Head On TV debates, but he nominates Obama's apology tour for humbug of the year. Meanwhile Susan Barnes-Gelt has laurels for Hillary Clinton and a raspberry for the Denver teachers union. John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over zany predictions for 2010, the economy, health care, and the Ritter-McInnis race. Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. Here are all five scripts for December: 1. WINNERS & SINNERS OF 2009

John: Back by popular demand. As inevitable, and indigestible, as a Christmas fruitcake: our winners and sinners honor roll for the old year. I say hurrah for the tea parties, the townhalls, and the return of Sarah Palin. I say bahhh for Obama’s apology tour and the political correctness that enabled Fort Hood.

Susan: Our celebrity culture that values 2-seconds of fame - Balloon Boy, party crashers and Tiger's domestic kerfuffle - over reason and good manners gets my stale fruitcake award. BRAVO to the legion of smart women influencing policy from our own Hillary Clinton to French finance minister Christine LaGarde.

John: More winners and sinners as 2009 passes into history. Hallelujah for the President’s decision on troops to Afghanistan and for the rebound of Rockies, Nuggets, and Broncos. Humbug for the Denver teachers union and for the humanist ads claiming we can be good without God. We can’t!

Susan; A bushel of rotten tomatoes to both parties in Congress for selling out to insurance giants and big pharm by watering down every healthcare bill. Shame on the Denver school board and administration for behaving badly. Hurray for the millions of people who do the right thing - every day.

2. FEARLESS PREDICTIONS OF 2010

John: Break out the funny hats and champagne. It’s John and Susan’s fearless predictions of 2010. To balance the budget, Ritter sells the Teamsters naming rights to the gold dome. Romanoff wins the Senate nomination by proving his carbon footprint is smaller. Oprah wins the Nobel Peace Prize for finally leaving us in peace.

Susan: Bill Ritter gets re-elected and Andrew Romanoff goes to the U.S. Senate. The Denver Public School board and administration implode and Hickenlooper takes over the District. Smart Cars, walking and motorized bikes become the dominant modes of transportation and the country's collective waistline shrinks.

John: More 2010 predictions from our twisted crystal ball. Al Gore goes into grief therapy as the climate scare collapses. Tiger Woods converts to Islam for the polygamy. Obama moves right and names Tom Tancredo as Secretary of Homeland Security. Gen. Petraeus announces for president anyway. Happy New Year!

Susan: Wall Street funds the program to rebuild America's bridges, schools and parks out of their ill-gotten gains and bonuses - Airlines charge for carry-on instead of checked bags - thereby incenting good behavior. Hickenlooper works to build transit instead of traveling to Copenhagen to talk about it. Peace.

3. THE ECONOMY

Susan: A jobless recovery benefits no one. The stimulus was a bust, states are dithering and Wall Street's cashing in. We can't finance a war with tax cuts and both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue are afraid to regulate. Populism is a dangerous antidote to elitism. It's time to focus.

John: The voters made an awful mistake. They elected a charismatic president with zero understanding of economics. Obama spent so long among the academic Marxists, he wouldn’t recognize a job-creating, profit-making business if it fell in his lap. He now owns this recession, lock, stock, and barrel. Too bad for us.

Susan: President Obama inherited two unresolved wars, an economy devastated by the greed and policies of Wall Street and Bush regulators and an electorate suspicious and disillusioned with government. The president's only failure may turn out to be his desire to develop bipartisan consensus. He must be bold.

John: Failure was indeed unfamiliar to Barack Obama before this year. He was a lifelong success with words. But he has failed with deeds as President. His policies have destroyed jobs, worsened the recession, busted the budget, reduced our freedom, abused the constitution, and weakened our defenses. Bad news.

4. HEALTH CARE

Susan: Status of the health care debate proves yet again that the Congress - both sides of the aisle - have stronger connections to K Street than Main Street. Myopic ideologues - bought and paid for by special interests -threaten to sink reform, ignoring the needs of a majority of Americans.

John: I keep telling you, Susan. These monster bills in the House and Senate aren’t about health care. They’re about power. Democrats believe that by nationalizing one-sixth of the economy, they can guarantee themselves majorities for ever, and reduce personal freedom, which they distrust. What will sink it, is Americans waking up.

Susan: We agree. The monster bills in the House and Senate are all about power - the power of the Catholic church, for-profit insurance companies, big pharmaceuticals and K Street lobbyists. A sustainable healthcare policy would include a single-payer system and universal access.

John: Single payer is a code word for government bureaucrats making all the decisions what medical help you get and who you get it from. Single payer is failing in the countries that have it, from Cuba to Canada to Britain. 62 percent of Americans don’t want it. Congress should say no.

5. RITTER v. MCINNIS

Susan: I'll give your party credit, John - they've coalesced around one gubernatorial candidate: Scott McInnis. A terrific step backwards when old guys opt for a 6-term Congressman, career politician as its 21st Century candidate. That plus his short temper and prickly personality leaves Dems sighing - in relief!

John: You talk about a step backward? Since Bill Ritter was elected, Colorado has gained population but massively lost jobs. Voters are likely to conclude the next one to lose his job should be the Democratic governor himself. The energetic McInnis with his Republican prosperity plan will be ready.

Susan: Republican prosperity is a great term. It's defined as tax cuts for the rich, Wall Street not Main Street, drilling exploiting resources and pollution rather than environmental stewardship. Essentially, the kind of policies that got us into this economic mess. You're right, John, McInnis is all about Republican prosperity.

John: Are you better off than you were four years ago? Coloradans under Bill Ritter would have to say no. The same question that unseated Jimmy Carter after one term unseat Ritter. 2010 will be about jobs and prosperity, not ideology and party. My money is on Mr. Common Sense, Scott McInnis.